Tested: Projecta Intelli-Start jump starter

As we’re often travelling in new cars that don’t have auxiliary battery systems in them, we’re always wary of draining batteries when running fridges while camping on road tests.

We’ve been caught out by draining the batteries on test cars more than once and had to pull out the jumper cables. That’s fine, so long as you have another car to jump it off.

The advent of relatively small and affordable lithium jump-start units has changed things and no longer are we relying on having a second vehicle at hand to jump-start a dead battery.

Projecta’s 1200amp Intelli-Start Lithium Jump Starter has become an invaluable part of our recovery kit and already it’s been used on classic old cars, new 4x4s and our own vehicles.

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The heart of the Intelli-Start unit is a 3.0amp/h at 12.8-volt, 1200amp at 3.2-volt Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO) battery that is claimed to be capable of jump-starting diesel engines up to 4.5-litre capacity and petrol engines up to 7.0 litres. That covers just about everything you’re likely to find under the bonnet of a 4x4 and the variety of vehicles we’ve used it on.

You can charge the unit via a USB plug and it’s advisable to do this regularly to keep the unit charged and ready to use when you’re not using it. The really clever tech in the unit that impresses us is its ability to recharge back to its previously held charge by simply leaving it connected to the recently jump-started battery for around 40 seconds after starting, and letting the vehicle’s alternator charge it back up.

The LED lights on the unit let you know when it’s fully charged again and ready to pack away for next time.

The Intelli-Start unit is easy to use thanks to its charge indicator lights, connection indicator that shows you have the clamps on the right way, and large, easy-to-use buttons. You really can’t go wrong with this unit.

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There’s also an LED work light on the side and a USB output port to charge things like mobile phones when you need to. You can see why it’s such a handy piece of gear to have in your kit, ready to use.

The compact unit weighs less than 1kg and packs up in its own carry bag that easily fits under the seat of your car or in some gloveboxes. Being a Projecta product, it’s made well and IP53 rated for protection against the weather and elements.

The 1200amp unit retails for around $300, but shop around and you’ll find the best deal. There’s also a 900amp version available for smaller engines, but this 1200amp unit has already earned its place in our travel kit.

AVAILABLE FROM: www.projecta.com.au
PRICE: Around $300, but shop around